What is the Hawaii legal job market like ? Forum

[PrelawSteve]

Hello,

While, I am not technically a Hawaii local by "black letter definition" I am of Hawaii local roots:

Father was born and raised in Hawaii in Waipahu/Ewa.

He returned back when I was still in undergrad and I spent most school summers there.

I am thinking of moving to Hawaii to study and practice law.

My questions are the following:

1. What is the Hawaii legal market like, both in terms of private sector jobs and solo opportunites?

2. What is the Hawaii legal market like in terms of public sector stuff?

3. In terms of law school admissions at UH Hawaii-Manoa and getting hired, how "local" do you have to be? I ask because I am not technically a native, but am still more native in an unoffical sense then the average tourist.

Thanks

[Mick Haller]

I interviewed with several of the few Honolulu "mid-law" firms. I was at a west coast T1 with no ties to Hawaii. they wanted people with ties. It's a really small market, and unless you were Mr. Honolulu or unless you have some connections, it's probably going to be a real struggle.

[Tom Joad]

You are going to win this election. Don't be such a pessimist.

[bdm261]

You are going to win this election. Don't be such a pessimist.

WIN

[Smumps]

Hello,

While, I am not technically a Hawaii local by "black letter definition" I am of Hawaii local roots:

Father was born and raised in Hawaii in Waipahu/Ewa.

He returned back when I was still in undergrad and I spent most school summers there.

I am thinking of moving to Hawaii to study and practice law.

My questions are the following:

1. What is the Hawaii legal market like, both in terms of private sector jobs and solo opportunites?

2. What is the Hawaii legal market like in terms of public sector stuff?

3. In terms of law school admissions at UH Hawaii-Manoa and getting hired, how "local" do you have to be? I ask because I am not technically a native, but am still more native in an unoffical sense then the average tourist.

Thanks

I'll preface this that I'm a 1L, so take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm originally from Hawaii, grew up there, and am Native Hawaiian. I want to end up back there (eventually), so did quite a bit of Hawaii legal research.

First, I don't think you really have ties. Spending your summers in Hawaii because your dad relocated is great, but isn't enough. Especially when you are competing against local kids that grew up there and went to UH for undergrad/LS. As for your questions:

1. Hawaii legal market has a bunch of "mid-law" firms, as the previous poster pointed out. Job opportunities are small, and ties/connections matter far more than pedigree. Not that going to a prestigious school doesn't help, but it would be in addition to ties/connections, not in spite of it.

2. No idea

3. I understand the priority to be as follows: Native Hawaiian and lived there > Native Hawaiian > grew up there > spent some time there/family there > other. What's funny about Hawaii is you will almost never be asked where you went to college. Rather, they will ask what High School you attended.